Steam-engine.



I No. 646,663. Patenfed Apr. 3, I900.

v A S HILL STEAM ENGINE.

Application filed may 27, 189 9.)

.2 Sheets'-Shaet I.

(No Modei.)

INVENTOR ,4 ltornqvs.

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Patented Apr. 3, I900. A. 8. HILL.

' .STEAM ENGINE.

(Application filed m 27, 18,99.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Y lNl/ENTOR Attorneys.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

ANTHONY S. HILL, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 646,663, dated April 3,1900.

Application filed May 27, 1899. Serial No. 718,488. (No model.)

To all whom itmag/ concern:

Be it known that LANTHONY SALTSMAN. HILL, a citizen of the UnitedStates,'residing= at Kalamazoo, county of Kalamazoo, State of Michigan,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Steam-Engines; and1 I declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawin gs, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in direct-acting steam-engineswhich are especially adapted for use in actuating drag-saws and forsimilar uses. Its objects are to provide a structure of the valves andports en: abling the engine to run at a high rate of speed withoutunduly increasing the length, thickness, and weight of the cylinder andother parts, also to provide in such an engine an improvedcushioningmeans for the piston in combination with the valve and valvemotion, and also to provide an improved valve mechanism, all of which ishereinafter set forth in the accompanying specification and pointed outin'the claims. I

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the engine adapted foruse in connection with a drag-saw; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal verticaldetailed sectional elevation through the cylinder and adjacent parts,the piston, piston-rod, connecting mechanism, and valve mechanism beingleft in full lines. Fig. 3 is a detailed side elevation of the base bymeans of which the engine is supported and adjusted when used to operatea drag-saw. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3.Fig. 5 is an end view of the steamcylinder, showing the trunnions. Fig.6 is a detailed view of the cam-rod for actuating the engine-valve. theslide secured to the cross-head of the engine and adapted to reciprocateupon the cam-rod. Fig. 8 is a detailed end view of the bracket securedto the cam-rod, carrying an angular journal-pin by. means of which thecam-rod actuates the valve mechanism. Fig. 9 is adetailed view of thebell-crank by means of which the bracket of Fig. 8 acts upon thevalve-rod. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal detail at the rear of the valve.port S is made by constricting the center of Fig. 7 is a detailed viewof sectional view of the valve, the stem being shown in full lines. a

A represents the base, carrying a pillowblock 13, which is adjustableback and forth by the pinion B acting'on the rack A, the pinion B beingactuated by the hand-wheel B by means of the shaft 13, the shaft'beingappropriately journaled at b Z) on the pillowblock B. This adjustablefeature is not claimed in the present application, as it is thesubject-matter of anapplication already filed, being Serial No. 676,485.

The steam-cylinder O is supported on the pillow-block by means of thetrunnions O and in this adaptation of the engine carries a frameworkOiwhich is supported by a counterbalance, C and controlled by hand-wheelC by which the same can be raised or lowered. As shown in thisapplication, also, it carries a drag-saw S which is rigidly attached tothe cross-head G traveling upon a guide G the cross-head being attachedto a piston-rod G, as shown in the drawings, Fig. 2. A steam-chest M issupported upon the top of the cylinder, to which steam is admitted by apivoted steam-pipe M. This pipe is jointed at the trunnion and receivessteam from the fixed pipe M controlled by the throttle-valve N, whichmay be operated by a reach-rod N These features of construction areincidental to the use of this improvement in connection with thedrag-saw, as illustrated. Of course it will be understood that if thecylinder were fixed in its position, as in a steam-pump or otheranalogous structure, much of the detail of the jointing of thesteam-pipes would not be required.

' The valve D is fixed to a stem D, as shown in section in Fig. 10. Apassage a extends through the stem, having an opening Ct at the forwardend of the valve and an opening 0, A broad annular the valve, and alsoannular ports S and S are formed by constrictions at either end thereof.In the port S there is a small hole a through the valve stem,communicating with the interior passage. As will be noticed particularlyin Figs. 2 and 10,'the body of the valve is rounded off at its ends 5 s,leading into the annular ports S and S thus secur- IOO Fig.

ing, when operated by the cam-rod and in conjunction with thevalve-seat, a gradual opening of the ports which in some instances isvery desirable. It also secures a free action of the valve with littlefriction.

The valve -casing M is provided with annular ports, that to the rearbeing marked e and that to the front of the casing marked 6. The port 6connects with the passage E, leading to the extreme rear end of thecylin- (101' C, while the port e connects with the passage E, leading tothe extreme front end of the cylinder. A broad annular ed notion-port Ris centrally located in the steam-chest M. The steam-chest M receivessteam through the steam-pipe M at N, which divides into passages 11 n,the terminals of these passages forming annular ports 1) 12 around eachend of the body of the valve D.

With the valve in the position shown in 2 it will be noted that there isa free passage for steam from the opening N through the passage n andport 13 past the rounded end of the valve and its port S and thencethrough the port 0 and Eto the forward end of the cylinder while thepassage n and the corresponding port are closed off by the valve,although the port e and passage E are open to the port S at the oppositeend of the valve. There is therefore no passage at the opposite end ofthe valve between the port E and any port in the steam-chest. In thebody of the casting forming the steam-chestand passages there are formedportsfand f, which by means of the passages F and F lead, respectively,to the front and rear ends of the cylinder, but terminate therein at alittle distance from the extreme end and from the ports E and E,respectively. As shown in Fig. 2, the portf and passage F are closed bythe valve D, whereas the port f is open to the exhaust-port R.

The valve-stem D extends through the usual stulfing-box in thesteam-chest and is pivoted to a pitman T, which in turn is pivoted tothe bell-crank V, fulcrumed at any convenient point, as on the end ofthe cylinder. The opposite end of the bell-crank V is provided with aslot V.

A curved rod II is pivoted at its rear end at any convenient point atthe top of the cylinder, the pivot being substantially on the samehorizontal plane as the valve-stem, as shown at H. The curve in this rodis peculiar and preferably only involves the other half or third of thecam-rod, and in consequence of its action I term it a cam-rod. Thecurved forward end of the rod extends through a guide K, which ispivoted to the cross-head G of the piston-rod, although it might be tosome other connected moving part, and therefore the guide reciprocatesupon the rod H in accordance with the stroke of the piston andpiston-rod. Adjustably secured to the rod H is a bracket L, having a pinL, which engages in the slot V of the bell-crank V. It is obvious thatwhen the engine is in operation and the slide K re ciprocates upon thecam-rod H it swings up and down upon the pivot H, the movement andcharacter of this oscillation depending upon the curvature given the rodand upon the adjustment of the bracket L. The bracket L being adjustablelongitudinally upon the rod 11 and its office being to connect thebellcrank V with the rod in such a way that the vertical oscillation ofthe rod will transform the vertical reciprocations to horizontalreciprocations of the valve by means of the connected bell-crank andvalve-stem, it is obvious that the amplitude of the verticalreeiprocations can be adjusted by means of the adjustable bracket, as itcan be moved longitudinally along the rod, approaching to or recedingfrom its center of oscillation at H. Of course this wouldcorrespondingly vary the amplitude of the motion of the valve, and as ameans of adjustment it may be used in conjunction with that of bendingthe rod as described. Thus it will be seen that the bendin g of the rodat its extremity may be'utilized to vary the rate of motion at differentportions of the travel of the valve, making it slower or quicker, asdesired, while the amplitude of that motion can be varied by means of anadjustment of the bracket L upon the rod, as described. The oscillationof the camrod II thus produced is transferred into the reciprocatingaction of the valve D by means of the adjustable bracket L, bell-crankV, and pitman T, and it is obvious that the reciprocation of the valvecan be controlled and adjusted by means of the curvature given to therod H, and thus almost any assignable variation of motion can be createdby varying the curves of the rod H, and this in itself is a valuablefeature of adjustment, as the rod H is capable of being sprung more orless as a method of adjusting the motion of the valve.

In the operation of the valve in connection with the ports E E F F theposition shown in Fig; 2 is that of the beginning of the returnstroke,with the ports f closed and e open and with the ports f open and6 closed. As the return stroke proceeds the cam-rod II will be drawndownward, so that each portion of it as the bracket K passes over itwill be in a horizontal line established by the reciprocation of thepoint of engagement with the bracket. This gradually draws the valveforward by means of the connections described until as the pistonapproaches the opposite end of the cylinder the port 6 is closed and theport f is opened into the exhaust-passage R; but as the piston Gapproaches the end of the cylinder, the port e not being opened, (or, itopened, connected with the live-steam passage 01,) the piston iscushioned after passing the passage F, while the port f is opened intothe exhaust-port R. On the return of the piston the action is togradually force the valve backward by the rising of the cam-rod 1-1 andthen to sharply accelerate its motion by virtue of the curvature at theextreme end I of the rod, it being obvious that the curve of the rod canbe so proportioned as to give almost any assignable range or quality ofmotion to the valve at different portions of the stroke, so as to insurethe best results. The rounding of the ends of the valves leading intoports S S tends to admit steam gradually, and therefore prevent suddenshocks which would otherwise be caused by the sudden admission, and thisinsures smooth action even under very rapid reciprocations.

It will be noted that the elongated opening V in the cam V may also beso proportioned and arranged as to allow the valve to remain quiescentduring a certain portion of the stroke by permitting a cam-rod H to passthrough a certain range of movement before actuating the bell-crank andvalve, and this, if properly done, would also result in a gradual actionin starting the, valve, inasmuch as the opening can beso'proportioned-as to prevent sudden shocks by starting it gradually.The hollow valve-stem through the valve,

communicating, as it does, by means of; the opening a with the exhaustand by means of the openings a a chambers formed'at each end-0f thesteamchest, permits a certain'degree ofcushioning and balancing of thevalve,which adds greatly to its smoothness of action, especially with anenginerunning rapidly.

It will be noted that the steam-passages E and E are always inductionports, and F and F are always eduction-ports. Steam is always admittedthrough passages E and E and always exhausted through F and F. This ofitself insures either the confinement of steam before and behind thepiston after it passes the ports F and F or contact with live steam,

depending on whether or not the ports e and e are opened by the valve inthe steam-chest.

piston. reaches and passes the If when the ports F and F in the cylinderthe ports 6 and 6, respectively, are not yet opened, the steam will beconfined between the piston and the heads of the cylinder at each endofthe stroke. If, however, the ports e. and e are already opened or openedto a slight extent, the piston will be met by live steam and will becushioned thereby.

It is obvious that by changing a curvature of the cam-rod H andadjusting the connections the valve may be adjusted to meet any requiredcondition in this respect.

What I claim isv 1. In an engine, the combination of a cylinder, apiston, an engine-valve, valve-seat, and steam-chest, a cam-rod pivotedat one end and movable at the other end as specified and having acurvature as described, means carried by the moving part of the engineto reciprocate over said rod, and means adjustably attached to said rodand connected to the valve-stem to actuate the engine-valve,

substantially as described.

communicating to small 'ber,

2. In an engine, the combination of a cylinder, piston, and valve-chest,double steamports at each end of said cylinder, induction- .portsadjacent to the cylinder-head, and

eduction-ports a short distance therefrom, a piston-valve having acentral stricture connecting with the discharge-port and an an-' rodpivoted at one end near the steam-chest,

means connected with a cross-head adapted to engage and reciprocate uponsaid cam-rod, and means longitudinally adjustable thereon connectingsaid cam-rod to the engine-valve, said rod being straight for a'largeportion of itslength adjacent to the cylinder, and the 4. Inan engine,the combination of a cylinder, piston, piston-rod, and cross-head, a.

' outer portion of the rod being curved substan tially as described.

piston-valvelocated ina steam-chest oontiguousto said cylinder,induction-ports leading from the extremities of the valve-chest andvalve to near the piston-head's in said cylinder, tance fromthecylinder-heads to a central discharge in said steam chest, said valvehaw ing annularstrictures near its ends, the inner faces of saidstrictures being rounded off for the purpose of cooperating with theaction on said valve of the adjustable cam-rod, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

5. In a steam-engine, the combination of a steam-cylinder, piston andpiston rod oper ating therein, a steam-chest, a piston-valve seatedtherein with an annular bearing, passages for the ad mission of steam tothe valveseat, means for actuating said valve, induction-ports leadingfrom the extremities of the cylinder to the extremities of thevalve-chameduction-ports leading from points located at a short distancefrom either end of the cylinder, and to substantially the centralportion of the valve-chamber, whereby when loo eduction-ports leadingfrom ashort dissteam-chest, ind notion-ports leading from theextremities of the steam-chest t0 the extremities of the cylinder, thepassages leading from the steam-pipe and the induction-ports in thesteam-chest not being coincident, the steamports being located at ashort distance beyond the passages from the steam pipe in such mannerthat the passages from the steam-pipe may be closed by the valve whilethe induction-port is open to the steam-cylinder, snb- I stantially asand for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

ANTHONY S. HILL. \Vitnesses:

JAY D. DRIVER, FRANK S. WESTON.

